Unofficial guide · Updated October 23, 2026
How Bandai's Minimum Guaranteed Allocation works
New One Piece sets are hard to get. Bandai's MGA program, which started in July 2026, is meant to make sure stores that run official prerelease events get enough product to run them. Here's how the reported formula works, a calculator you can try, and which parts are actually confirmed for US stores.
How it works, step by step
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01
Store standing
The store registers as a Bandai TCG+ brick-and-mortar location. Its Shop Rank in TCG+, tracked separately for each game, sets how many event kits it can buy.
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02
Events booked
The store schedules prerelease events in TCG+. The number of events and seats is what the minimum is reportedly based on.
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03 · Release
Wave 1: the floor
First shipment is reportedly MGA only: enough packs to run the events, plus about one box per player to sell.
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04 · About 4 to 6 weeks later
Wave 2: extra stock
A second shipment is reportedly decided by the distributor based on rank and history. It isn't guaranteed.
MGA floor calculator
Move the controls to estimate a store's reported wave 1 minimum. Your settings are saved in the link so you can share a scenario.
- Reported floor
- 40 boxes
- In cases
- 3.3 cases of 12
- Likely shipped
- 40 boxes
- Retail value
- $4,790 at $119.76 / box
This is an estimate from community reports, not an official Bandai number. Retail value uses the $119.76 box price, not wholesale cost. Your store's actual kit count and minimums are in TCG+ under My Page / Shop Rank.
Where store rank fits in
Rank doesn't seem to add a separate bonus to the formula. It works one step earlier: rank sets how many event kits a store can buy, which limits how many events and players it can book, and that sets the floor.
| What people know about rank | Status | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Rank sets how many event kits a store can buy | Official | Bandai tells stores to check available kits under My Page / Shop Rank in TCG+. |
| Events can require a minimum box purchase | Official | Bandai says each event may have a minimum number of boxes to buy, listed in TCG+. |
| Ranks are Standard, Bronze, Silver and Gold | Reported | Used by distributors and store staff. Not listed on Bandai's US pages. |
| Rank comes from TCG+ check-ins and Bandai purchases | Reported | Store staff say registered TCG+ players count more than guest sign-ins. |
| Rank is tracked separately for each game | Reported | Store staff say this changed around the Gundam launch, and stores started Gundam at Bronze. |
| Kits or boxes per rank in the US | Not public | Only visible to each store in TCG+ or from its distributor. |
Players can help their store's rank by signing in to TCG+ with their own account at every event instead of checking in as a guest.
What's confirmed for US stores
We checked each part of the shared formula against Bandai's official pages, US distributor terms and US store event listings.
| Claim | Status | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| Play product covers 6 packs per player (4 boxes per 16 players) | Consistent | US OP-17 sealed events gave each player 6 packs. 16 players × 6 packs is 96 packs, which is exactly 4 boxes. |
| Plus one box per player to sell | Reported only | Comes from one store owner's post. Another store said it got 10% of its order and couldn't give each player a box. |
| Distributors are required to follow it | Weaker than stated | The wording reportedly "requests" distributors follow it. US distributor terms keep full discretion over limited products. |
| Based on store rank and number of events | Partly confirmed | Bandai says kit quantities come from Shop Rank in TCG+, and each event may require buying a minimum number of boxes. |
| Wave 2 arrives 4 to 6 weeks later | Reported only | Relayed from one store's distributor. Not published by Bandai. |
| Tier box caps (Standard 36 to Gold 144) | Not US | These come from an Italian distributor's product listing, not a US policy. |
Why a store might get less
- Distributor choice. Wave 1 can still come in under the floor, and at least one store says it did.
- Whole cases. A store owed 40 boxes reported getting 36 because the distributor wouldn't split a case.
- Event format. Constructed events don't open packs at the table, so there's no play-product portion.
- Rank. A lower rank means fewer kits, which means fewer seats and a smaller floor. Newer or lower-ranked stores also tend to see less in wave 2.
How players can help their store
- Register through TCG+. Bandai tracks store events and attendance through the app.
- Show up and play. Bandai has said priority goes to stores that consistently support organized play.
- Ask about box sales up front. Each store sets its own event price and box limits.
Sources
- r/OnePieceTCG: "These shops are lying to you" · original MGA formula, wave timing and store reports
- One Piece Merch News on X (quoted) · program start in July 2026
- One Piece Card Game: Getting Started for stores · Shop Rank, kits and minimum box purchases
- One Piece Card Game: OP-17 release event · event dates and formats
- Official One Piece Card Game EN on X · priority for stores that support organized play
- GTS Distribution Terms of Sale · allocation at distributor discretion
- Top Tier Board Games OP-17 event and Atomic Empire OP-17 event · 6 packs per player in US sealed events
- r/OnePieceTCG: "OP17 Allocation Nightmare" · store report of a 10% allocation
- r/OnePieceTCG: "Limited Store Tournaments and Bandai Store Ranking" · how rank is earned, guest check-ins
- r/GundamTCG: "Bandai TCG+ Store ranks and prizes update" · ranks tracked per game, Gundam starting at Bronze
- One Piece Card Game: For Stores · TCG+ registration and 8-person play space
- Gametrade OP-18 listing (Italy) · day-one box caps by rank (Italy)
- InkSight TCG OP-17 guide · $4.99 pack and $119.76 box price